Dispensing device



Sept. 12, 1961 STONE 2,999,642

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Dec. 18. 1959 INVENTOR. Hoes/vac B.x Sraxvs BY 3 $4. 4- 24 sY-M 6 61 .ATTORNEYS v United States Patent 2,999,642 7 I DISPENSING DEVICE Florence B. Stone, Nutley, N.J., assignor to Vacuum Ventures, Inc., Pompton Lakes, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 860,566

Claims. (Cl. 239-52) 7 The invention relates to dispensing devices and more particularly to dispensing-devices for rolled material such astoilet tissue, paper'towels and the like.

The invention has for its object the provision of a dispenser for rolled material that will incorporate automatic means for releasing an evaporative substance whenever the material is being dispensed from the roll.

Briefly, and in general, the invention comprises a hollow core member upon which the rolled material is mounted. The mounting of the material on the core member is such that rotation of the materialresults in simultaneous rotation of the core member. Preferably, the core member is cylindrical and fixed to the rolled material. An evaporative substance, such as an odorizer, deodorizer or other agent, is disposed on the inner surface of the core member and is confinedwithin a frangible outer covering. It is preferred that the evaporative substance be confined within a plurality of independent compartments so as to permit the substance to be released in small portions over a substantial period of time. The covering is sufiiciently frangible to rupture with relatively slight pressure and the rupture of the covering is accomplished by the member supporting the rolled material, which member extends within the core member and is provided with means for breaking the covering upon rotation of the core member. These means may advantageously comprise a plurality of pointed projections positioned about the outer surface of the supporting member so that rotation of the rolled material and the core member causes the supporting member to rotate thereby bringing some of the projections on the supporting member into piercing engagement with some of the compartments of the covering on the inner surface of the core member. For the purpose of illustrating the invention a preferred embodiment of the invention isshown in the drawings and this preferred embodiment will be described in detail hereinafter. However, it is to be understood that the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings are by way of example only and do not define or restrict the scope of the invention, the claims appended hereto being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the inner surface of the core member rolled out;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the core member showing a preferred covering for confining the evaporative substance on the inner surface of the core member; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the supporting member for the rolled material showing one possible arrangement of the projections on the outer surface of the supporting member.

For purposes of illustration, the drawings show the invention as embodied in a dispenser for a roll of toilet tissue, but it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited and may be applied to any suitable dispenser regardless of the material being dispensed.

In the embodiment shown, a roll of toilet tissue is provided with a central opening 12 and a hollow, cylindrical core member 14 is fixed to the inner surface of the opening in such a way as to be rotatable with the roll of toilet tissue 10 whenever a portion 16 of the tissue is ice Patented Sept. 12, 1961 it to rotate therewith. However, it is not essential that the core member 14 be separate and removable from the roll and the core member could be formed as an integral part of the roll of material if desired.

The core member 14 is provided with an inner surface 18 that has disposed thereon an evaporative substance confined within a frangible covering, the evaporative substance being adapted to be automatically released whenever the tissue is dispensed from the roll 10. The evaporative substance may be an odorizer or a deodorizer, but

other agents, for example, a disinfectant, may be used as desired, it only being necessary that the substance to be released evaporate at room temperatures and atmospheric pressure.

In preferred form (best shown in FIG. 3) the substance to be released is disposed on the surface 18 in a film or coating of a multitude of individual liquid droplets 20- that are each encapsulated in a separate complete shell-like covering 22. The encapsulated droplets are disposed over at least a substantial portion of the inner surface 18 of the core member 12 and, as shown, substantially cover the entire inner surface. Covering 22 may be a gelatin or plastic, or any other suitable material, as long as it is sufficiently flexible as not to rupture when the core member 12 is rolled into a hollow cylinder, while still being frangible under relatively slight pressure.

The roll of toilet tissue 10 is mounted on the usual barlike support 24 which is provided with a short stub shaft 26 at each end by means of which the bar support 24 may be mounted in a suitable holding bracket (not shown). For the purpose cf rupturing capsules of the covering 22 and releasing liquid droplets 20, the outer circumferential surface 28 of the bar support 24 is provided with a plurality of pointed projections 30. As the tissue 16 is pulled from the roll 10 the bar support 24 is rotated by the engagement of covering 22 with the projections 30 that have previously pierced the covering. The rotation of the bar support 24 brings additional projections 30 into piercing contact with unbroken capsules of covering 22. This piercing action occurs somewhat in advance of the top center positions of the bar support 24 and the core member 12.

In order to obtain a progressive rupture of the capsules of covering 22 the projections 30 are disposed on the outer circumferential surface 28 of support 24 so that only a relatively small number of projections are brought into piercing position each time a portion of tissue 16 is removed from the roll 10. For this purpose the projections may be disposed, as shown, in helically arranged rows, but this is not essential and the projections 30 could be arranged in other patterns just as well as long as only a few projections are brought into piercingposition as each portion of tissue 16 is dispensed from the roll. Random rupture of the capsules is obtained because the circumference of the bar support 24 is substantially less than that of the inner surface 18 and the covering 22. This variation results in the projections 30 piercing the covering 22 at different points upon each subsequent revolution of the bar support 24.

It will also be apparent that the covering 22 could be ruptured other than by piercing as long as the means employed is selective enough to rupture only a small number of the capsules at one time.

What is claimed is: a v

l. A dispensing device for rolled material comprising a hollow core member within said rolled material, said core member being rotatable with the rolled material when the material is being dispensed and having an inner surface on which there is disposed an evaporative substance confined within a frangible covering, and a supporting member for the rolled material extending within the hollow core member and having means for rupturing the frangible covering upon rotation of the core member and the support to release the evaporative substance con fined Withinthe covering. a a

- 2. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the evaporativesubstance is encapsulated in a plurality of individual capsules.

plurality of projections formed on the outer surface thereof to pierce the individual capsules on the inner surface of the core member upon rotation of the core member and the supporting member.

4. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the projections on the supporting member are so arranged on the circumference of the supporting member that only a small number thereof are brought into piercing contact with the capsules as the rolled material is dispensed.

5. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 4 wherein the circumference of the supporting member is substantially less than that of the inner surface of the core membe'ron which said capsules are disposed. 3. A dispensing device as set forth in claim ZrWherein 10 i said supporting member comprises a cylinder having a References Cited in the file of this patent UNIT ED STATES PATENTS WlIlIZ .d Aug. 25, 1942 5,293,785 2,639,939 Matchett May 26, 1953 2,925,207 Kunsch Feb. 16, 1960 

